Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wailment” come from?

wailment (English) comes from English wail, from German weilen, from Middle High German wīlen, from Middle High German mit, from Old High German mit, from Proto-West Germanic midi, from Proto-Germanic midi, from Proto-Indo-European meth₂.

wailment (English): Lamentation; loud weeping; wailing

Definitions

  1. Lamentation; loud weeping; wailing

Ancestry of “wailment”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwailTo cry out, as in sorrow or anguish; To weep,...
2GermanweilenTo be, be present somewhere; To linger, spend...
3Middle High Germanwīlen—
4Middle High Germanmit—
5Old High Germanmitwith
6Proto-West Germanicmidiwith, by, through; along, together; middle, mid
7Proto-Germanicmidiwith, by, through; along, together
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmeth₂with
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmé—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mé →